Gaillardia plant named ‘Lucky Wheeler’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Gaillardia , ‘Lucky Wheeler’, characterized by its dwarf habit, large blooms with red centers, yellow tips and fluted petals, its long blooming period, and its good garden performance and winter hardiness.

Botanical classification: Gaillardia aristata.

Variety denomination: ‘Lucky Wheeler’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is co-pending with a U.S. Plant Patent Applicationsfiled for plants derived from the Inventor's breeding program that areentitled Gaillardia Plant Named ‘Fancy Wheeler’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.22,016) and Gaillardia Plant Named ‘Jazzy Wheeler’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.22,217).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofGaillardia plant, botanically known as Gaillardia aristata ‘LuckyWheeler’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name,‘Lucky Wheeler’.

‘Lucky Wheeler’ was derived from a controlled breeding program conductedby the Inventor at his nursery in Schwamstedt, Germany. The breedingprogram focuses on obtaining new cultivars of Gaillardia with compactand floriferous plant habit in a range of flower colors. In summer 2006,the Inventor collected and pooled seeds from open pollination of unnamedplants from his breeding program with accession Nos. G04010, G04045, andG04065. ‘Lucky Wheeler’ was selected in 2008 by the Inventor as a singleunique plant from the resulting seedlings.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished via stemcuttings in Lisse, The Netherlands in 2008. The characteristics of thiscultivar have been determined to be stable and are reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the characteristics of the new cultivar of Gaillardia. Theseattributes in combination distinguish ‘Lucky Wheeler’ as unique from allother varieties of Gaillardia known to the Inventor.

-   -   1. ‘Lucky Wheeler’ exhibits medium sized inflorescences with ray        florets having red centers, yellow tips and fluted petals.    -   2. ‘Lucky Wheeler’ is hardy in U.S.D.A. Zones 3 to 9.    -   3. ‘Lucky Wheeler’ is reliably perennial with a dwarf, spreading        habit.    -   4. ‘Lucky Wheeler’ produces numerous blooms throughout the        growing season.

‘Lucky Wheeler’ can be compared to its parent plants, which differ inlacking fluted petals and bi-color red and yellow inflorescences and inhaving taller plant habits. ‘Lucky Wheeler’ can also be compared toGaillardia cultivars ‘Fanfare’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,892) and ‘Tizzy’(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,944). ‘Fanfare’ differs from ‘Lucky Wheeler’ inhaving a taller and less reliably perennial plant habit, larger flowers,a shorter blooming period, and fewer branches. ‘Tizzy’ differs from‘Lucky Wheeler’ in having a taller and less reliably perennial planthabit, shorter blooming periods, and in having ray florets that lackbi-colored petals. ‘Lucky Wheeler’ can also be compared to cultivarsfrom the same breeding program ‘Fancy Wheeler’ and ‘Jazzy Wheeler’,which both differ from ‘Lucky Wheeler’ in having larger flowers and inlacking fluted petals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of the new Gaillardia. The photographs weretaken of a plant two years in age as grown outdoors in a 4-litercontainer in Lisse, the Netherlands. The photograph in FIG. 1 provides aside view of a ‘Lucky Wheeler’ in bloom, the photograph in FIG. 2provides a close-up view of the inflorescences of ‘Lucky Wheeler’ andthe photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the inflorescencesof ‘Lucky Wheeler’. The colors in the photographs are as close aspossible with the digital photography and printing techniques utilizedand the color codes in the detailed botanical description moreaccurately describe the colors of the new Gaillardia.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The detailed botanical data was collected in September from plants 13weeks in age as grown in 1.5-liter containers in cold-storey greenhousein Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands with day temperatures rangingbetween 12° to 26° C. and night temperatures ranging between 4° and 16°C. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations inenvironmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not beentested under all possible environmental conditions. The colordetermination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of TheRoyal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general colorterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming season.—Continuously from mid spring to early            October in The Netherlands.        -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous perennial, dwarf, globular in            overall shape, broad and upright and spreading growth habit.        -   Height and spread.—About 25 cm in height and 40 cm in width            in 2 years, 13 week old plants reach 16.5 cm in height and            23 cm in width.        -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zones 3 to 9.        -   Diseases resistance.—No susceptibility or resistance to            diseases has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.-   Growth and propagation:    -   -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings and Tissue Culture.        -   Time from cutting to flowering.—Average of 13 weeks.        -   Crop maintenance.—No pinching or pruning required.        -   Growth rate.—Low to moderate, 5 cm per month.-   Stem description:    -   -   Stem shape.—Rounded.        -   Stem aspect.—Average 60° from horizontal.        -   Stem strength.—Moderate.        -   Stem color.—143C.        -   Stem surface.—Densely covered with strigose hairs averaging            1 mm in length and NN155D in color, rough to touch.        -   Lateral branch length.—Average of 8.5 cm (excluding            peduncles).        -   Lateral branch diameter.—Average of 3 mm.        -   Quantity of lateral branches.—About 4 per plant in a            1.5-liter container.        -   Internode length.—Average of 1.2 cm.        -   Branching.—Freely branched.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf shape.—Broadly oblanceolate to linear-oblong.        -   Leaf base.—Decurrent.        -   Leaf apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Leaf margin.—Entire.        -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, 144C in color on upper and lower            surface.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Leaf surface.—Upper and lower surfaces; dull, rough to            touch, and moderately covered with strigose hairs about 0.5            mm in length and NN155D in color.        -   Leaf color.—Young foliage; upper surface 138A, lower surface            138A to 138B, mature foliage; upper surface and lower            surface 138A.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 10.3 cm in length and 1.7 cm in width.-   Flower description:-   General description:    -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal capitulum with many disc            florets, one row of ray florets, and three rows of            involucral bracts.        -   Rate of flowering.—Terminal inflorescence opens before            lateral inflorescence.        -   O of days required for flowering response.—An average of 9            weeks.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—About 2 weeks, persistent.        -   Inflorescence aspect.—Held upright.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately in strength, slightly sweet,            chrysanthemum-like.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—About 12 per plant in a            1.5-liter container.        -   Inflorescence buds.—About 7 mm in depth and 1.3 mm in            diameter, flattened globular, color 150C to 150D with center            152B.        -   Inflorescence size.—About 3.1 cm in depth and 5 cm in            diameter, diameter of disk about 2.2 cm.        -   Receptacle.—Flattened globular in shape, about 3 mm in            depth, 4 mm in diameter, 155D in color.        -   Peduncle.—Round in shape, upright, moderately strong, 138C            in color with apex 138D, about 4.8 cm in length and 2 mm in            diameter, slightly pubescent with soft hairs 0.5 mm in            length and NN155D in color.        -   Involucral bracts (phyllaries).—Average of 38 per            inflorescence, arranged in 3 rows, lanceolate to narrowly            ovate in shape, narrowly acute apex, broadly cuneate base,            margin entire and covered in villous hairs 1.5 mm in length            NN155D in color, upper surface dull and smooth and lower            surface dull and densely covered with short hairs; about 0.5            mm in length and 157D in color, 138B in color becoming 138D            towards base, about 1.1 cm in length and 2 mm in width.-   Ray florets (capitulate):    -   -   Number.—Average of 17 (range from 13 to 20).        -   Arrangement.—Rotate, 1 whorl.        -   Appearance.—Upper surface smooth and dull, lower surface            dull moderately covered with short hairs 0.8 mm in length            and 186C in color.        -   Shape.—Obovate, three-lobed, lower half fused into tube.        -   Aspect.—Outward to slightly upward at an angle of 25° from            horizontal.        -   Size.—Average of 2.5 cm in length and 9 mm in width.        -   Petal apex.—Three-lobed.        -   Petal base.—Tubular.        -   Petal margins.—Entire.        -   Petal texture.—Upper surface smooth, lower surface            moderately covered with short hairs about 0.8 mm in length            and 186C in color.        -   Petal color.—Opening; Upper surface 179A with apex 13A,            lower surface 174B to 174C with apex 12A to 13A, fully open;            upper surface N34A with apex 13A to 14B, lower surface 178C            to 178D with apex 13B, senescing; upper surface 173B with            apex 13A, lower surface 179B to 179C with apex 13A.-   Disk florets (perfect):    -   -   Quantity.—Average of 60.        -   Shape.—Tubular with upper 30% free.        -   Arrangement.—Spiral concentric towards center of disc.        -   Size.—About 9 mm in length and 3 mm in width.        -   Petal apex.—Free, narrowly acute, entire margin.        -   Petal base.—Fused.        -   Petal texture.—Upper surface; smooth, slightly glossy, lower            surface; strongly hirsute with hairs about 0.7 mm in length,            slightly glossy.        -   Color.—When opening upper and lower surface; tip 46A,            mid-section 24B and 24C and base 145D, mature upper and            lower surface; tip 46A, mid-section 22D and base 145D.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Presence.—Disk flowers are perfect, ray flowers are            carpellate.        -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil per disk and ray floret, 1.1 cm in            length, stigma decurrent and 53A to 53B in color, style 7 mm            in length and 150D in color, ovary 145D in color.        -   Androecium.—5 stamen per disk floret, filament 3 mm in            length and 157D in color, anther linear in shape, about 4 mm            in length and 13B to 13C in color with apex 203A, pollen            moderate in quantity and 14A in color.        -   Fruit and seed.—No fruits or seeds observed to date.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Gaillardia plantdesignated ‘Lucky Wheeler’ as described and illustrated herein.